As technology and information sharing evolves at a rapid pace, it becomes harder to keep up with criminals and scammers—even if you are an experienced professional. Last year, a staggering 83% of physicians said they had experienced some form of cyberattack, according to an American Medical Association report. What kind of scams are out there? What should you be wary of? What new threats are emerging?

A feature in this month's PT in Motion magazine describes common cybercrimes and scams, including data breaches, phishing, and ransomware. Author Katherine Malmo reports that cyberattacks happen to more organizations than we might think, since people don't want to share their experiences. Robert Latz, PT, DPT, told PT in Motion, "The question is less if there will be a breach and more what to do when the breach happens."

The article examines other scams that take advantage not of security holes but human error, such as fraudulent job ads that require financial transactions or predatory scholarly journals that publish anything as long as you pay, which can damage your credibility. "What is most astounding," Chad Cook, PT, DPT, comments, "is that really talented people submit to these publications."

"How to Defend Yourself Against Scams and Cyberattacks" is featured in the August issue of  PT in Motion magazine and is open to all viewers—pass it along to nonmember colleagues to show them one of the benefits of belonging to APTA. Printed editions of the magazine are mailed to all members who have not opted out; digital versions are available online to members.